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One key element to Senjougahara's character: She's impeccably calm, cool, and collected. It's not just anybody that could look at a person she loves in a bloody horrific mess and not even bat an eye-lash. She's done this at least twice now with Araragi, so I think we can say that this is a key aspect to her character.

Given what we've seen in the latest episode, it's interesting that Senjougahara before the crab was, in fact, very different from Senjougahara after the crab. This is something that Hanekawa had also alluded to in the first episode.

After all, if Senjougahara had been as coldly aloof in middle school as she was in high school, she wouldn't have been as popular. Middle-school Senjougahara appeared more cheerful, more affirmative, more caring for others. She even took the initiative to meet other people she found interesting, to check out fellow rivals in athletics and sports.

If you think about it, every character who encountered an oddity has been permanently scarred in one way or another. Araragi remains a nascent vampire; Hanekawa apparently suffers from inadvertent promiscuity; Hachikuji still floats among mortals; Kanbaru's left arm stays horribly disfigured.

So, in Senjougahara's case, some parts of her original personality never returned. It's just as Oshino had warned: Things won't go back to normal even though she got her weight/memories back. She's still missing her emotions, something she's now struggling, bit by bit, to recover.

I'm tempted to think of all these oddities, and their effects, as allusions to adolescence and growing up. Strip them away, and what we get is in fact a straightforward otaku-based story that involves themes familiar to most teenagers. The way we were before we became adults, the sometimes painful angst we went through, and the end result of that growing up process — that has all been expressed here through clever wordplay.

And some things, like annoying acne scars, will never go away. They just become part of the collection of things that give us "character".

It's just that, for the new Senjougahara, it comes with added spice (and spite).

I'm tempted to think of all these oddities, and their effects, as allusions to adolescence and growing up. Strip them away, and what we get is in fact a straightforward otaku-based story that involves themes familiar to most teenagers. The way we were before we became adults, the sometimes painful angst we went through, and the end result of that growing up process — that has all been expressed here through clever wordplay.

I totally agree on the point that Bakemonogatari is basically about growing up of youth. It's not only Senjogahara. Most main characters face a difficulty (or an oddity), suffer from it, and eventually overcome it. However the story does not stop here. Overcoming dose not mean growing-up in Bakemonogatari. They should get on with remained scar. It's Shinobu for Araragi's case, missing emotions for Senjogahara, and hairy arm for Kanbaru. They grow up when they accept and embrace their respective scar. For me, this is where Bakemonogatari differ from typical shonen stories.

So, in Senjougahara's case, some parts of her original personality never returned. It's just as Oshino had warned: Things won't go back to normal even though she got her weight/memories back. She's still missing her emotions, something she's now struggling, bit by bit, to recover.

In good part it has more to do with the extended disease, then the attempted rape with her mother's blessing. Things like this will do unspeakable things to someone's psyche. Hitagi coped with all that by... shutting down emotionally.

So, in Senjougahara's case, some parts of her original personality never returned. It's just as Oshino had warned: Things won't go back to normal even though she got her weight/memories back. She's still missing her emotions, something she's now struggling, bit by bit, to recover.

I don't believe Senjougahara is missing her emotions. She feels sufficient concern for Araragi to

Spoiler for ep8:

throw herself into a fight between a devil and a ex-vampire.

She was tender

Spoiler for ep7:

and almost caring when she found him injured.

She feels sufficient jealousy to

Spoiler for ep6:

threaten him were he to dally with another woman.

She even goes so far as to

Spoiler for ep5:

declare love for him, not just a casual like or desire to shack up.

If anything I'd say she's lost the knack for expressing emotions, at least in socially acceptable ways. Or possibly even enjoys her unconventional way of interacting with the world.

Quote:

Originally Posted by TinyRedLeaf

I'm tempted to think of all these oddities, and their effects, as allusions to adolescence and growing up. Strip them away, and what we get is in fact a straightforward otaku-based story that involves themes familiar to most teenagers. The way we were before we became adults, the sometimes painful angst we went through, and the end result of that growing up process — that has all been expressed here through clever wordplay.

*Nod, nod* Once again I think you've got this series pegged. As another one of my friends has observed, this is one of the few anime stories where it is absolutely essential that the characters be teenagers. It's not just about the sailor uniforms, it's about the character development. Come to think of it, it even justifies Hachikuji as more than token loli - it'd have less impact if a story about parental independence/loss of home with teens.

I don't believe Senjougahara is missing her emotions. She feels sufficient concern for Araragi to

Spoiler for ep8:

throw herself into a fight between a devil and a ex-vampire.

She was tender

Spoiler for ep7:

and almost caring when she found him injured.

She feels sufficient jealousy to

Spoiler for ep6:

threaten him were he to dally with another woman.

She even goes so far as to

Spoiler for ep5:

declare love for him, not just a casual like or desire to shack up.

If anything I'd say she's lost the knack for expressing emotions, at least in socially acceptable ways. Or possibly even enjoys her unconventional way of interacting with the world.

*Nod, nod* Once again I think you've got this series pegged. As another one of my friends has observed, this is one of the few anime stories where it is absolutely essential that the characters be teenagers. It's not just about the sailor uniforms, it's about the character development. Come to think of it, it even justifies Hachikuji as more than token loli - it'd have less impact if a story about parental independence/loss of home with teens.

Sometimes you can tell when an author wants to help his readers by telling a story.

Having teen-aged characters makes it possible to help those who are youngest and apparently easiest to influence.

This story could well be applied to adults even in their late 20's or more... with few adjustments. The thing is the reach and effect would be less.

Adults tend to think too much of themselves and we are more jaded once we pass 25. Less influenced even by positive stories.

It is as if we feel the author is being totally pretentious when in truth we are the ones who are being pretentious.

I give this author a good rate for his ability to really craft a story that is fantastical but realistic and applicable at the same time.

You just have to think about it some.

Which oddly is the reason alot of people I see on bb's dropped Bakemonogatari.

They just don't "get it"

I can't fault them.

They are still at their young, want to see chicks with guns fight as well as ninja or shinigami with overly ridiculous and unnecessarily convoluted story plot lines, pulp fiction entertainment stage.

I wonder why shows like Welcome to the NHK never got much top billing.

rocket beat me to it.... I don't think its that she's lost the emotions themselves, but that she lost the *tools* and *techniques* of expressing them properly. There's also the nature of Hitagi+Araragi which isn't really *that* unusual in the real world: sparring love duel between two equally powerful people.

Hitagi is simply reserved/subtle (with the exception of bold acts/statements every now and then) in how she expresses her feelings. You could even call it classy, perhaps. Overall, I like it. Quite ironically, she's like the anti-tsundere. Her sweet moments are transparent but calm (she doesn't hide her feelings; she just doesn't exclaim them loudly or bashfully/shyly). Her harsh moments are like stoic ice compared to the raging fire of a tsundere.

You know what she's like? She's almost like a female bishonen - like Byakuya (Bleach) or Sesshomaru (InuYasha) made female.